And like a Lobster boil'd, the Morn
From Black to Red began to turn.
When Hudibras, whom Thoughts and Aking 'Twixt fleeping kept all Night, and waking, Began to rub his droufie Eyes,
And from his Couch prepar'd to rife:
Refolving to dispatch the Deed,
He vow'd to do with trufty Speed.
But firft, with knocking loud and bauling,
He rouz'd the Squire, in Truckle lolling;
And, after many Circumftances,
Which vulgar Authors in Romances
Do use to spend their Time and Wits on,
'To make impertinent Defcription,
They got (with much ado) to Horfe,
And to the Caftle bent their Course,
In which, he to the Dame before
To fuffer Whipping duly fwore:
Where now arriv'd, and half unharneft,
To carry on the Work in earneft;
He ftopt, and paus'd upon the fudden,
And with a serious Forehead plodding,
Sprung a new Scruple in his Head,
Which first he scratch'd, and after faid
Whether it be direct infringing
An Oath, If I fhou'd wave this fwinging,
And what I've fworn to bear, forbear,
And fo b' Equivocation swear ;
Or whether 't be a leffer Sin
To be forfworn, than act the thing,
Are deep and fubtil Points, which must,
T' inform my Confcience, be difcuft.
In which to err a Tittle may
To Errours infinite make way:
And therefore I defire to know
Thy Judgment e'er we farther
Quoth Ralpha, Since you do injoin't
I shall enlarge upon the Point.
And for my own part do not doubt,
Th' Affirmative may be made out;
But firft to ftate the Cafe aright,
For beft advantage of our Light;
And thus 'tis: Whether 't be a Sin
To claw and curry your own Skin,
D d
Greater, or lefs, than to forbear,
And that you are forfworn, forfwear.
But firft, o' th' firft: The Inward Man,
And Outward, like a Clan and Clan,
Have always been at Daggers-drawing:
And one another Clapper-clawing:
Not that they really cuff, or fence,
But in a Spiritual Myftick fenfe;
Which to mistake, and make 'em squabble,
In literal Fray's abominable;
'Tis Heathenish, in frequent use
With Pagans, and Apoftate Jews,
To offer Sacrifice of Bridewells:
Like Modern Indians to their Idols,
And mungril Chriftians of our times,
That exp'ate less with
greater Crimes And call the foul Abomination··
Contrition, and Mortification.
Is't not enough we're bruis'd and kicked
With finful Members of the wicked;
Our Veffels, that are fanctify'd,
Profan'd and curry'd, back and fide;
But we must claw our felves with fhameful
And Heathen ftripes, by their example?
Which (were there nothing to forbid it)
Is Impious, because they did it.
This therefore may be juftly reckon'd
A Heinous Sin. Now to the fecond,
That Saints may claim a Difpenfation
To fwear and for fear, on Occafion;
I doubt not, but it will appear
it.
With pregnant Light. The Point is clear:
Oaths are but Words, and Words but. Wind;
Too feeble Implements to bind,
And hold with Deeds proportion, fo
As Shadows to a Substance do.
Then when they ftrive for place, 'tis fit
The Weaker Veel hou'd fubmit:
Although your Church be oppofite
To ours, as Black Friars are to White,
In Rule and Order, yet I grant
You are a Reformado Saint;
And what the Saints do claim as due,
You may pretend a Title to:
But Saints, whom Oaths or Vows oblige,
Know little of their Privilege;
Farther (I mean) than carrying on
Some felf-advantage of their own:
For if the Dev'l to ferve his turn
Can tell Truth, why the Saints fhou'd fcorn,
When it ferves theirs, to fwear and lie,
I think there's little reafon why:
Elfe h' has a greater pow'r than they,
Which 'twere Impiety to fay;
W' are not commanded to forbear
Indefinitely at all to fwear;
But to fwear idly, and in vain,
Without Self-Intereft or Gain;
For breaking of an Oath, and Lying,
Is but a kind of Self-denying,
A Saint-like Vertue, and from hence
Some have broke Oaths by Providence:
Some to the Glory of the Lord,
Perjur'd themfelves, and broke their Word:
And this the conftant Rule and Practice
Of all our late Apoftles A&ts is.
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